Package-filling machine.



No. 689,474. Patented Dec. 24, |901. L. F. FALES'.

PACKAGE FILLING MACHINE.

` (Application med my 7, 1900.) (llo Model.) I3 Sheets-Sheet I.

w rm: Nnnms virtus :n.vmorouwo.. wAsmnGYoN. n. c.

Patented Dec. 24, |901:

` L. F. FALES.

PACKAGE FILLING MACHINE.

(Appumion mea my v, 1900.)

I3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Mo'dal.)

Irwed'or: Lewis" l'TFales, lg,

MJMM- L Patented Dec. 24,1901.-

L. F. FALES. PACKAGE FILLING MAGHINE.

(Appumion med my '7, 1900.)

I3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

I P'wsses:

w: Naam; Pains co, rum-ouwe., wAsmNcToN. D. c,

No. 689,474. Patented Dec. 24, |90!` L. F. FALES.

PACKAGE'F'ILLING MACHINE.

Y 'Application med my 7, 1900.) (No Model.) I3 Sheets-Sheet 4.

d' vom f/ .'y jays.

l No. 689,474. Patented neg. 24, mol.

L. F. FALEs.

PACKAGE FILLING MACHINE.

' (Application led. May 7, 1900.) v (No `Mendel.) I3 SheetS-Sheet 5.

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No. 689,474. Patented nec. 24, 190|.

. L. F. FALEs. y

'PACKGE FILLING MACHINE. (Application led May 7, 1900.) (No Nudel.) I3 Sheds-Sheet 6.

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- No. 689.474. l Patsaa' Da. 24, i901.

' L. F. FALES. y

PAcKAsE FILLING MAcHmE.

(Application @led May 7, 1900.)

I3 Sheets-Sheet 7.

(No Model.)

ma' Nouns trans co. mutuo.. wAsmNG'roN. o. c.

Patented Dec. 24, |90I.

l..- F. FALEs. PACKAGE, FILLING MACHINE.

I3 sheets-sheet' s.

(Appuwtion med my 7, 19004 (Hq Model.)

lewis El'ales, Ivy t minssf mi naam; min ca. Wauw No. 689,474. Patentedec. 24, |901. L. F. FALEs.

PACKAGE FILLING MAGHINE;-

(Application led May 7, 1900.) (Ilo Modl.) I3 Sheets-Sheet 9.

Invenor:

No. 689,474. Patented Dec. 24, I90I. L. F. FALES.

PACKAGE FILLING MACHINE.

(Application led May 7, 1900.)

I3 Sheets-Sheet I0.

(lo Model.)

l'hvenior.- 1I ewzlsffl'ale',

ma mams mens nu, Hmmm-Ho.. msmnnwuni c.

No. 689,474. Patented Dec. 24, I90I.

L. F'. FALEs.

PAGKAGE FILLING MACHINE.

(Application lsd May 7, 1900.) (lla Modal.) I3 Sheets-Sheet Il.'

No. 689,474. Patented Dad. 24, I90l. L. F. FALES.

PACKAGE FILLING MACHINE.

(Appiimion med my v, 19004) la snmsheet l2.

(No Model.) Y

"No. 689,474. Patented Dec. 24, |901..

' L. F. FALES.

PACKAGE FILLING MACHINE.

(Application lad May 7, 1900.)

I3 Sheets-Sheet I3.

(No Model.)

l/vzlsllfales',

Yu: man xs Persi C0.. moro-urna. wAsnmnroN. o. c.

; UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

`LEWIS F. FALES, or WALPoLE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNoR To r. w. BIRD .t SoN, on EAST wALPoLu, MASSACHUSETTS, A FIRM.

PACKAG E-FILLING MACHINE.

y iSPE(IlJ'JGATIGN' forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 689,474, dated December 24, 1901.-

' Application filed May 7, 1900. Serial No. 15,710. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.:

Be it known that I, LEWIS F. FALES, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Walpole, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Package-Filling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for auto- Io matically filling and sealing packages with material supplied thereto from any conven- -ient source; and the object of the invention lies in the adaptation of mechanisinfor receiving, sealing, and deliveringr a suitable i5 container and operating in conjunction with automatic Weighing devices which at predetermined periods in the passage of the container through the machine will discharge thereinto the amount of material which the 2o weighing mechanism is adjusted to and the container adapted to receive.

A further object of the invention is the adaptation to the machine of devices whereby the level of the material in the containers z 5 is automatically and temporarily brought to the plane of the folding-lines of the end-closing portion of said container to the end that a point ofresistance may be provided by said material against which the infolded end-clos- 3o ing portions of the container maybe pressed to insure their adhesion one to another; and the invent-ion consists in the construction and arrangement of the coacting groups of mechanisms for the purpose above described, all

as set forth in the following specification and clearly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a plan View of a package-filling machine embodying thisinveution. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of one end of the machine, on an enlarged scale, the side frame of the machine being removed. Fig. 4 is avertical section taken longitudinally through the 4; g'umming and folding mechanism and showing the line of`package-receiving pockets in section. Fig. 5 is an elevation of the end of vthepocketopposite to that end shown in Fig. Sand is on the"`same scale as the latter and 5o is shown with the'sideframe removed. Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line A A, Fig. 5,

' threaded rod attached to the machine. 14 is a similar view to Fig. 13, showing the deshowing a container in a pocket of the machine ready to have its end portions infolded to close the end of the container. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on line B B, Fig. 5, showing the end-closing portions of a container infolded. Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional plan view on line D D, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 shows in side elevation, looking from the driving side of the machine, the cam-actu- 6o ated mechanism which imparts movement to the cam-wheel by which the pocket-engaging arms are moved and by which the folding-fingers are operated and the plunger given its Vertical reciprocatory movements. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section through several of the pockets, showing the relation thereof to the pocket-jarring mechanism. Fig. ll is a transverse section between two of the gears of the jarring mechanism, showing a 7c pocket lifted olf the track by the gears. Fig. 12 is an end View, partly in section, of the adjusting-lever for the jarring mechanism. Fig. 13 is a detail view showing the engagement of one end of said lever with a screw- Fig.

tailed construction of the operative engagement of the other end of said lever with adjusting connection running to the jarring de- 8o vices. Fig. 15 shows the detailed construction of a bearing for the gears of the jarring mechanism. Fig. 16 is a top plan View of one of the package-receiving pockets. Fig. 17 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 1S is a 85 vertical sectional view of 'the upper end of one of the pocket-embracing arms. Fig. 19

is a front elevation of a modified construction of one of the arms which swing in over the top of the pocket to fold and pressdown the 9c end-closing portions of the container. Fig.

2O is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 21 is a top plan View, and Fig. 22 is a view of the under side of the plate which covers one-half of the end of the package within the pocket. 93 Fig. 23 is a perspective view of the open end of a container the end of .which the folding mechanism' in this machineis adapted to close, the folding-lines of the container being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 24 isaperspective View loo of the end of the container shown in Fig. 23 and illustrating the position of the end-closing portions just prior to the swingingin of the folding-arms to close the package. Fig. is a portion of the end of a container, showing the appearance thereof when closed.

This machine is designed to receive and automatically fill, seal, and deliver packages of any material which may be passed through any of the well-known automatic weighingmachines; and, briefly stated, the machine consists of an endless chain belt having pockets thereon to receive containers of pasteboard or any other material whichv the machine is adapted to close or seal automatically. The chain belt has an intermittent movement through the machine and the first stop of the pocket and container is under the'weighing mechanism, the next under the gumming devices, where the end-closing portions of the container are gummed, the next under the folding devices,where the open end of the container is closed. It is at this point of the passage of the container through the machine that the contents thereof are automatically brought to the plane of the folding-line of the end-closing portions ofthe container, and this plane of the material is maintained during the time that Y endwise 'pressure is exerted against the end of the container to elfect the adhesion of the gum med portions thereof, whereby said containeris closed. The closed packages are held in the pockets until they arrive nearly at the point from which the container is placed in the pockets on the chain belt, where at each stop the package slides out of the pocket onto a platform or onto a conveyer-belt, as desired.

This machine consists of `a suitable frame a, in which are located the two chain-belt shafts b and c, (see Fig. 2,) parallel with each other and in the same horizontal plane.

Chain-wheels d and e are keyed on these shafts midway between the side frames, and a chain belt f runs on these wheels. The links of this chain belt are of such form and dimension as will afford a proper base and support for the pockets g, and at each point on said chain where apocket is to be located one of the ordinary chain-links is replaced by one having upstanding lugs thereon, between which a downhanging lug h (see Fig. 4:) on the bottom of the pocket is located. A pin passing through both pi'votally attaches the pocket to the chain beltf. The peripheries of theYchain-wheels d and e are provided with teeth, as usual, for engaging the links of the chain belt. The pockets are of metal and their weight is taken off from the chain belt during their transit -through the machine by a metal track ralongside the upper course of the chain beltand by a similar track j parallel with and somewhat above the chain belt along its lower course, said pocket being provided with hanged rolls 7c, (see Figs. 16 and 17,) on which it is carried on said tracks', thus relieving the chain belt of all strains transverse to its horizontal line of movement.

At that point in its movement where the sedere chain passes' over the chain-wheel d, at the forwardl end of the machine, a circular track l for the rolls on the pockets to run on is provided. At this point the Weight of the pockets coming on the chain beltfis easilyasupported by it, for the links'of the latter engaging with the chain-wheel in front of and be'- hind the pocket affords a sufficient support for the chain to carry said pockets.

It will be noticed by referring to Fig. 16, which shows a top plan viewof one of the pockets, that the flanged rolls 7c at the rear' end of the pocket are provided with treads of greater width than those at the front of the pocket, and when the pockets run olf from the curved tracks Z at the forward end of the machine in coming around the'chain-wheel d in position to receive a new container the upper end of the curved track (see Fig. 3) is widened at m, and the straight horizontal track vl on the top of the machine is'extended toward the front until it intersects said curved track. When a pocket arrives at this widened portion m of the curved track l, the narrow front wheels will run off the track, the pocket being supported in the center thereof on the chain-wheel and also by a rear wheel as long as the pocket tilts backward. As the pocket comes'more nearly to an upright position the front rolls thereof drop in between the widened part m of the curved track and in due time lake the horizontal track t', the rear wheels still riding on said widened part of the track by reason of their wider treads, the said rear wheels eventually running onto the straight track c'. The {ian ges of the front and rear wheel are of course in line. l

' By means of the above track construction the true radial position of the pockets relative to the chain-wheel is maintained during the passage of said pockets therearound.

On the rear end ot' the machine, where the chain belt begins to take the curve of the chain-Wheel e, a retaining-rail or guide-rail n (see Fig. 5) is provided, one end of which is straight and is supported on rigid arms over and in the same vertical plane as the end of the trackz', and the forward end of said guiderail is given a curve substantially*concentric with said chain-wheel to the end that as the rear end of the pockets tip up as the latter incline forward in passing around the chainwheel the rolls k on the rear of said pockets will engage the under side of said guide-rails, and thus take the strain off of the chain until the pocket has progressed so far that the engagement of the links of the chain with its Wheel e shall afford proper support for said pocket, together with the support of the folding arms, to be described, which engage said pockets at this point.

As the pockets travel from the point at which they receive the charge of material from the Weighing devices vto the point at which they are gummed and sealed they must be subjected to a jarring or shaking movement IIO for settling down the contents thereof as compactly as possible, andto this' end the said pockets are made to run over a series of slowly-rotating gears o, (see Figs. 2, V3, and 5,) the teeth of which strike the bottoms of the pockets near the sides thereof as the latter move slowly over them. Said gears 0 are made with their teeth widely spaced, so that the contact of each tooth with the pocket will impart thereto a distinct shock or jar. As shown in Figs 4, 5', and 17 most clearly, the bottoms of the pockets are provided with plates or strips p of some hard metal, against which the teeth of said gears im pinge. These plates or strips are removable to provide for the easy substitution of new ones for those worn out. The gears 0 are supported in vertically-movable boxes, whereby their contact with the bottoms of the pockets may be regulated, as hereinafter described.

As seen in Figs.v l and 2, a hopper q is located over the front end of the machine, the

mouth of whose spout lies directly over theV top of the pocket as the latter moves step by step through the machine, and said spout is provided with a cut-o slide r, whereby the operator may prevent the delivery of material into a container in one of the pockets if he so desires. Over this hopper q may be located any one of the well-known automatic Weighing mechanisms in such position that it will deliver periodically an amount of material to fill one of the containers in the pockets of the machine.

As the machine is set in motion each pocket g is provided with a container while the pocket is passing upward around the chain-wheel d, but before it reaches a position beneath the hopper q. Each pocket in turn is moved upward and stops under the spout of the hopper, and the delivery periods of the weighingmachine and the step-by-step movement of the pockets through the machine are made synchronous. As each container stops under the hopper to be filled those preceding it are subjected to the next step in the process necessary to the completion and delivery of a package of Whatever material the machine may be operating on. After the container has been filled the next two stops of t-he machine leave the two preceding pockets over the shaking devices, whereby the contents of the containers in those pockets are settled down to practically a normal level. The next step will bring the container under the gumrning mechanism. This is shown in Fig. 4. It should be stated here that the present machine is designed to ll the openmouthed bags while in the pockets of the machine and to close their tops.

In closing the open endof the bag The pockets or container two opposite sides of the pocket are infolded across the top of the container after the container has been filled, and the two other sides are then folded down trans,

two sides which are rst infolded-are usually stamped or creased along the lines which are produced in making the fold, as indicated in Fig. 24. The form of fold made is also shown in said figure, and the gummed portions of one of the end-closing portions is indicated by the shading on Fig. 23.

After the pockets have come to a stop over the gears o, whereby their contents are shaken down, the next step through the machine brings them under the gumming devices, at which point the sides of the container s and t have gum applied thereto, as indicated by the shade-lines on said Fig. 23. ously with the gumming of the end -portions of the container the contents thereof are subjected to more or less pressure by a plunger u on the head o, on which the gum-rolls are carried which apply gum to the container, as stated.,V At the moment of gumming the endclosing portions of the container stand upright above the top of the pocket, as shown in Fig. 4. Said gumming devices and the operating mechanism thereof are illustrated on an enlarged scale in Fig. 4, which is a vertical longitudinal section taken substantially through the center of the plunger u. The latter has a vertically-reciprocating movement imparted to it at the proper time for descending into a container for the purposes stated and is actuated by a lever w, secured on a rock-shaft y, supported transversely of the frame of the machine on standards z. At one side of said lever w is secured another lever l, which actuates said rock-shaft y by means of a connecting-rod 2, extending down to and -connected with the end of ank arm 3, as shown in Figs. 2 and 9, hung loosely on a rock-shaft 4, engaged by a face-cam 5 at a point between said shaft and the point 0f the connection of thearm 3 with the rod 2. The shaft on which the face-cam 5 is carried is indicated by 6 and is the mainIcam-shaft 'of' IOO IIO

thereof, and a spring 7 is located on that portiony of said rod within the yoke bearing on the bottom of the latter and against the collar screwed onto the rod 2 in the upper end of the yoke. Said collar will bear o n the upper end of the yoke on the'upstroke of the leverl and against the spring 7 on the downstroke. This construction provides a rigid connection for moving the plunger u upward and a yielding connection for forcingit downward, thereby avoiding the danger of straining any part of the mechanism should an excessive amount of material bedeposited in the container by a defect of the weighing mechanism which would prevent a full descent of the plunger. This construction also provides means for preventing the application of more than a known degree vof pressure against the contents of a container upon the descent of the'plunger u. The requirements of this machine render it desirable,but not essential, that the said gumrolls should not run in contact with the gum-supplying rolls 8 in the gum-boxes 9 when the plunger u is at rest in a raised position, and therefore to supply gum to the said rolls as on said head o of the plunger mechanism has been provided to impart to said gum-boxes 9 a sliding movement toward the said plunger-head o just before the latter descends, whereby the rolls in the said gum- 'boxes will come for a moment into contact with the said rolls fr and supply them with the adhesive necessary to gum the end-closing rportions of the container, and this gumbox-moving mechanism and that for, rotating the supply-rolls in the gum-boxes 9 are constructed as follows, reference being had principally to Figs.y 1, 2, 4, and 9 of the drawings: The said gum-boxes 9 are mounted to slide longitudinally on the frame in any suitable Way in a direction toward the plunger u from each side thereof, and said movement is imparted to said boxes simultaneously by a vertical shaft 10, having two short oppositelylocated arms 1l (shown only in Figs. 1 and 9) on the upper end thereof, with which connecting-rods 12 extend in opposite directions to levers 13, pivoted on a suitable support midway between their ends, whereby a rotatory oscillation of saidvertical shaft 10 ,will impart swinging movements to the free ends of the said levers 13 toward veach other. Said free ends of the levers 13 are pivoted to the sliding gum-boxes 9, and suitably-timed oscillatory movements are imparted to said shaft 10 by a connection (shownin Fig. 9) of 'a crank-arm on the lower end thereof with a longitudinally-sliding cam-arm 14, a cam-roll on the free end of which engages with a cam 15 on the said main cam-shaft 6. A retract- `ing-spring 16 between a part of the frame and Movement is imparted to the said rolls 8 by a continuously-running shaft 18, (see Figs. 1, 2, and 4,) driven by a bevel-gear connection with a shaft 19, Fig. 1, on which is a sprocketwheel 20, which runs over a similar wheel below it on the end of the driving-shaft 21,

Yinggears on the shaft 18, the gearsV on the latter being made with a face wide enough to provide for this movement of the gum-boxes. When the gum-boxes move upto gum the rolls x, a pinion 23011 the Aend of the rolls 8 engages a pinion 24 on the end of the rolls rotating the latter while gum is applied thereto, and the pinion 28 is permanently in mesh with a pinionA on the end of the wiper-rolls for rotating the latter continuously.

The position of the parts shown in Fig. i is that showing the -plunger u at rest and the gum-boxes 9 withdrawn from the path of movementof said plunger, which is the position these boxes occupyjust before and after gum has been applied to the rolls a: on the head ofthe plunger.- `Assuming the latter to be the case and the rolls a; duly supplied with gum, thefplungcr next moves down to compress the contents of the container and the rolls on the plunger-head to apply gum to the outside of two oppositely-located endclosing portions'- of the container. In Fig. 4 the lled containers are shown in the Ipockets in section and the end-closing portions thereof to be gnmmed bythe rolls are indicated by s and t, and those forming the outer layer on the bottom .of the container are indicated byv25.

On the endsof the gum-rolls a: opposite to that on which the pinions 2i are secured are the pinions 26 (shown only in Fig. 1)v and which when the parts are in the position shown yin Fig. 4 may rotate freely, (as when gum is being applied `to the said rolls my) but upon the descending movement vof the plunger these pinions 26 engage a rack 28, supported on the machine in such position as to give to the rolls .fr a rotary movement'inward and upward, to the end that just after the plungerhead o enters between the upstanding endclosing portions of the container the said rotary movement of the rolls @o will have an upward-drawing effect on said end-closing portions and the gum on said rolls will be applied evenly thereon. Upon the upward movement of the plunger the rotary movement of the rolls x will be reversed, and at the end of the said upward movement the pinions 26 run off from the end of the racks V27, leaving said rolls free again to be rotated IOC- IXO

movement of the gum-rolls on the plunger at the moment the upward movement of thelatter begins prevents the container from being drawn out of the pocket by said rolls.

The racks 27 are pivotaliy supported about midway between their ends, as shown in Fig. 4, and their lower extremities united by a spring under tension, to the end that should the teeth of the pinions 26 fail to properly en gage the topmost tooth of said racks on the descent of the plunger-head@ then the racks will give sufficiently to allow the teeth of the pinion to pass over the top of the tooth on the racks to a point of engagement therewith.

The next position occupied by the container is that shown by the one on the extreme lefthand end of Fig. 4-viz., in proper position under the folding-fingers 21S-by whose action the gummed end-closing portions s and tare infolded to such an extent as will permit the end-closing portions 25 to be folded over them by the next succeeding movement and pressed down upon them to seal the end of the container. Said folding-fingers 28 are secured on the ends of parallel shafts 29, located 4in long hubs on the side of a slide 30, having a vertical movement in the frame of the machine, the said fingers being located over the center of the pockets. The opposite ends of the shafts 29 have intermeshing gears 3l secured thereon, (see Figs. 1 and 4,) and on one of them is a crank-arm connected to one end of a horizontal rod 32, extending toward the front of the,machine and engaging a downhanging arm 33 on a rock-shaft 34, su pported in the base of the standards z. Another arm 35, horizontallylocated on said rock-shaft 34, is connected with a vertical rod 36, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,) extending down to the -main cam-shaft G, where it engages a suitable cam, whereby properly-timed verti cal movements are imparted to said rod 36 for giving a rotatory oscillatory movement to the folding-fingers 28. This movement takes place after t-he slide 30 has been given adownward movement to permit the folding-fingers to begin their inwardly-swinging movement near the scored folding-line of the end-closing portions s and t. The said vertical movement of the slide 30 is imparted thereto bv lever connections, (shown clearly in Fig. 9,) in which the horizontal lever 37, pivoted at 38 on the frame of the machine, is connected pivotally at 39 with said slide 30, and the opposite end thereof is connected with a vertical cam-lever 40, a cam-roll on which engages a cam 4l on the cam-shaft (i. From this description it is seen that the slide 30 moves downward with the curved folding-fingers extended, as shown in Fig. 9, and these ngers then swinginward, forcing the closing portions s and zi of the container toward eachy other, and a't this moment the action of the folding-arms 42 takes place. Referring `to Fig. 6, which is a vertical section of these arms and their actuating cams and supports and of the chain-Wheel e, it is seen that they operate in pairs on each container from opposite sides of the latter, and the movements of the arms on each side of the container are identical, and their function is to fold the side portions 25 down onto the gu mined surfaces of the portionss and t While the latter are held by the folding-lingers 28 in a position inclined towardone another, substantially as shown in. Fig. 24, said folding-fingers retiring as soon as the sides 25 begin their inward movement by the operation of the folding-arms 42. These arms have three movements first, they rotate synchronously with the chain-belt movement and in the same direction; second, their outer ends have a swinging movement toward and from each other, and, third, they have a radiallysliding movement toward and from the chainbelt shaft c., on which they are supported. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings particularly show the construction of this mechanism, all carried on shaft c.

The chain-wheel e is located about midway between the side frames of the machine, and on each side thereof are two hubs 43, provided with flat radial arms 44, so spaced that the ends of each pair of said arms will when the latter arrive at a vertical position over the chain-belt shaft c be located under a pocket g, and the distance separating the two oppositely-placed arms will bring the ends of said arms directly under the sides of the pockets, the said platesp thereof bearing on the ends of the arms, the latter forming a rigid support for said pockets. On each of said arms 44 is a sliding plate 45, on which is a cam-roll 46, and lugs between which the folding arms 42 are pivotally supported. Both the chain-wheel e and the hubs143 are keyed on the said shaft c. Next to the said hubs 43 are located on -the shaft the camwheels 47, each provided with two camgrooves,.one, 48, for the reception of the camrolls 46, whereby the plates 45 are given the radial movement referred to above, and the other groove 49 for engagement'with the short arm 50 of the folding-arms 42, whereby they are given their inwardly-swinging movement. The said cam-wheels 47 are. loose on the said shaft c and have identical rotary movements imparted to them simultaneously and inde pendently of the shaft hy means of connections from each of said wheels to arms fixed on the rock-shaft 4. One of these arms 5l is shown in side elevation in Figs. 2 and 5, and the other of said arms is shown in elevation in Fig. 9. That one of the said arms 5l shown in Figs. 2 and 5 has an extension 52 thereon, on which a stud is located, which engages a face-cam 53 on the main cam-shaft 6, whereby there :is im parted a rocking motion to the rock-shaft4 at proper intervals. Through the arms 5l and conneetingrods 54, extending from tite ends thereof to studs 55 on the cam-wheels 47, (see Figs. 2, 5, and 9,) oscillatory movements are given to the latter. Means are thus provided for im part ing to said IIO cam-wheels 47 a properly-timed oscillation on the shaft c, whereby at the moment a pocket arrives in proper position and the sides S and t of the container therein have been in folded by the action of the folding-fingers l 28 the arms on opposite sides of said pocket will beiirst `simultaneously swung toward the pocket by the action of the cam-groove 4901i the short arm 5U ot' said folding-arms 42, and immediatsly following this movement said folding-arms are moved bodily toward the shaft c by the action of the cam-groove 48 on the rolls 46. The said folding-arms are, as shown in the drawings, made with their upper extremities 56 lyingat right angles to the main body of the arm, and said extremities are provided with adjustable plates 57, each adapted to cover substantiallyone-half of thearea of the top ot' a container. Thus when the two folding-arms have been moved toward each other to the fullest extent of their inwardly-swinging movement the top of the container will be entirely covered and the radial movement ofthe arms will then press the said plates firmly down against the portions 25, the contents of the container serving as a backing for thelalter, which thereby may be forced down with as much pressure as may be thought desirable to effect the adhesion of said parts 25 to the gummed sides s and of the container.

Means for effecting the fine adjustment of the folding-arms to an exact position relative tothe side of the pockets are provided by making the arms 42 in two parts, as showniu the sectional View of the arm on the right of Fig. l5 of the drawings. Both of said parts are pivoted on the sliding plate 45, and the shorter 4one, 58, of the two parts lyingparailel with the other has two screws 59 therein, one bearing on the side of said longer arm and the other entering a suitably-threaded hole in said arm, whereby said longer arm may be adjusted in the plane of its swinging movement relative to said shorterarm and the two then locked together to move as one.

ln the ordinary use of a machine of this class,as shown and described above,the boxes or Vcontainers are of uniform dimensions, so

that they may lit properly in their pockets, and the lines on which the projecting portions of the open ends of the containers are folded to close them are also uniform in all containers vadapted to hold the same quantityof material. It will he remembered that in closing the tops of the containers the projecting porlions are folded in and down upon the top of the material, which material serves as a backing against which the folded-in portions may be pressed in order to close the tops of the containers effectively. lf the material with the given weight of which the containers are filled were always ot' the same bulk for that weight, the containers and pockets would be made of such a size that the material after having been. pressed down would come to the folding-line of the containers, so

that it would afford a proper backing against which to press the folded tops; bntitis the fact that the material, from one cause or another, varies considerably in bulk for a given weight, and therefore the containers must be of such dimensions that they will hold agiven weight in the form of its greatest bulk, and as the said bulk may vary from one extreme to the other between the filling of one box and the next there may be in two successive containers a difference of level of the material so great that when the end-closing mechanism operates to fold the top of the container and seal it the level of the material therein will be below the plane of the lines on which the projecting portions of the container are folded, so that there willbe no point of resistance for the infolded top of the container to bear upon and proper adhesion of the gum med surfaces will not be secured. Under such circumstances the iinperfectly-sealed container must be opened and the material must be turned back into the machine and the conrainer destroyed.

Means will now be described whereby the level of material in the containers is in all cases automatically and temporarily brought to the folding-lines of the container at the time when the top portion is infolded to close the end of the container whatever may be the variation in bulk of the weight of material emptied into the containers.

By referring` now to Fig. 6 it will be seen that a box or container in a pocket has arrived at the point of its movement through the machine where the end-closing portions s and t of the container, having,r been previously gumnied together with the parts 25, are to be folded in one upon the other ready to be overlapped bythe ends of the folding-arms 42 and pressed down against the material in the box, whereby they will be caused to firmly adhere to one another and eifectually seal the end of said box or container. It will be observed, however, that the material in said box does not reach the plane of the folding-lines 60, which, as stated, are substantially in the plane of the upper end ot' the pocket, and if no provision were made for backing up the end-closing portions of the container from the inside of the latter then when the foldingarms 42 are brought down by their radial movement, heretofore described, to the plane of said folding-line the end-closing portions of the container would not become adhered together and the package would be so imperfectly sealed that any finely-ground material would escape therefrom or the end of the package might even be forced open by the weight of the material therein and lost. To remedy this defect and to provide means for always backing up the end-closing ends of the box from the inside with a definite' pressure of the material therein, whether the level of said material has to be artificially raised either'an eighth of an inch orseveral times that distance,

I provide in a package-receiving pocket means IOO ISO

for compressing the box or package or container therein transversely at a point some distance below the top thereof, whereby the material in said box or package above the point of compression will be forced upward. This transverse compression or constriction of the box or package is applied after the foldingarms 42 have moved up from each side and grasped the pocket and bya radial movement toward the axis of their rotation have assumed the position shown in Fig?. At about the time the folding-arms assume the position shown in Fig. 7 and the parts thereof overhanging the package have been moved down substantially to the plane of the top of the pocket the above-referred-to transverse com pression of the container in the pocket takes place and forces the material therein up against the under side of the infoldedlend-closing portions of the container, crowding the latter against the ends of the folding-arms with whatever pressure desired, and in this position the package makes substantiallya halfrevolution with the chain-wheel-that is,from

a point vertically above the axis of the latter to a point diametrically opposite-said transverse compression at the latter point being taken from the package, which is left freein the pocket and will of its own weight drop therefrom as the pocket moves onward and upward around the chain-wheel at the forward end of the machine. The preferred construction in carrying out thispart of my invention is to make the pockets g of fixed dimensions and to insert therein two thin springplates 6l, which lie closely against opposite sides of said pockets between the latter and the side of the box or container. These plates extend from the top to the bottom of said pockets, and the upper edge thereof is secured by screws 62 or other means to thev pockets. The said plates 6l, as seen in Fig. 4, are narrower than the side walls of the pockets and are let into the surface thereof to leave it normally smooth and unbroken. At opposite points on each of the side-walls of the pockets is a boss 63, (distinctly shown in Figs. 6 and 8,) in which is a plunger 64, one end of which lies normally flush with the end of said boss and the opposite end of which is secured to the flexible plate 6l. On each of the folding-arms 42 at equal distances from their axis is cast a cylindrical boss 65, which projects outwardly from said arm and is bored out to receive a plunger 66, which in turn is counterbored from its inner end to receive a coiled spring 67. This construction is seen in Fig. 8 most clearly. On the inner surface of the folding-arms are two rectangular lugs 68, spaced at such distance apart as will permit the entrance therebetween of the bosses 63 on the pocket when the foldingarms close in toward said pocket. By this means the arms 42 and the pockets are interlocked and the latter supported in true radial position in their course around the chainwheel e, and whereby also the parts operating to compress the sides of the container in said pocket will be maintained in true alinement. the plunger 66 is suitably closed by a disk 69, screwed into it. Before said disk is screwed in to place a pin 70, having a head 7l thereon, is passed through a hole in the center of the disk, whereby when the latter is putin place the head of said pin will bear on the end of said spring 67. In the outer end of the plunger 66 is a roll 72, whose axis is at right angles to the path of movement of the foldingarms 42. Tho plunger 66 is normally forced outward from the boss by a coiled spring 73, located on the turned-down inner end of said plunger, and which spring bears against the inner closed end of the boss 65 and against the shoulder on the plunger which is formed by turning down its inner end. At any convenient point on said boss 65 a screw 74 (see Fig. 7) is inserted, whose point engages a slot in the plunger, whereby the movement of the latter within said boss is limited.

A cam-rail 75 is supported concentrically with the axis of the folding-arms 42 on each side of the path of the pockets around the chain-wheel e on brackets 76, which are bolted to the frame of the machine, (see Figs. l and 3,) and which extends from a point just forward of the vertical line through the axis of the chain-wheel abovethe latter to a similar point below said wheel. At the point where the folding-arms 42, after they have been swung inward and moved radially downward against the top of the pocket, enter between said cam-rails 75 the latter are separated a little to admit them freely, (see Fig. 7;) but from said point of entrance the cam-rails trend gradually inward and then run in parallel lines nearly tothe opposite end of the rails, where they again taper outwardly, as at their upper ends. As the folding-arms intermittently revolve about their axis they are caused to close in toward the sides of the pockets by the engagement of their short arms 50 in a cam-groove 49 in said cam-wheel 47, and when said arms arrive at the proper position with their in turned ends overlapping the top of the box or container in the pockets another cam-groove 48 in said cam-wheel 47, with which the cam-rolls 46 engage, causes both arms to move radially toward their axis until they arrive at the position shown in Fig. 7. A bearing-rail 77 is secured on the outer ends of the brackets 76, (see Fig. 5,) and against these rails rolls 78, hung in the folding-arms 42, are adapted to bear, whereby these arms are held closely to the sides ofeach pocket as the latter pass around the chain-wheel.

It is obvious that the closing in of the folding-arms 42 and the radial movement thereof must take place before the arms enter between the ends of the cam-rails 75; but when these movements -have taken place the rolls 72 in the end of the plunger 66 will lie in the plane of the edge of the cam-rails and said The open end of the counterbore in.

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